The Month of Prophethood Dawned

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, says:

“When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came into this world, his umbilical cord had already been cut. He was born circumcised.”

When Abd al-Muttalib saw this, he was extremely amazed and happy.

He used to say:

“My son will have an extraordinary status.”

According to al-Hidayah, before his birth the people of Makkah were suffering from drought and famine.

But as the time of his birth drew near, rain began to fall. The drought disappeared. Trees became green and full of fruit. The earth became covered with greenery.

At the time of his birth, he was leaning upon his hands and his head was raised toward the sky.

One narration says that he was kneeling, meaning he was in a position resembling prostration.

(Tabqat)

His hand was closed into a fist and his index finger was raised, just as we raise it during prayer.

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

“When my mother gave birth to me, a light emerged from her, and by that light the palaces of Syria became illuminated.”

(Tabqat)

His mother, Aminah, said:

“At the time Muhammad was born, I saw such a light that in its brightness I could even see the necks of the camels traveling in Busra.”

Allamah al-Suhaili wrote that when he was born, he praised Allah.

One narration gives these words:

“Allah is the Greatest, exceedingly Great. All praise belongs to Allah abundantly, and glory be to Allah morning and evening.”

The meaning is:

“Allah is the Greatest. Allah deserves abundant praise, and I glorify Allah morning and evening.”

On what day was he born?

Everyone agrees that it was Monday.

He was born at the time of dawn.

There are many opinions concerning the exact date of his birth.

According to one narration, he was born on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal.

Another narration gives the 8th of Rabi al-Awwal.

Another gives the 2nd of Rabi al-Awwal.

There are many other narrations as well.

Most historians hold that he was born on the 8th of Rabi al-Awwal.

When the date was calculated according to the calendar method, it came out as the 9th of Rabi al-Awwal.

The meaning is that no one knows the exact date with complete certainty.

What is agreed upon is that the month was Rabi al-Awwal and the day was Monday.

It is also said that he received prophethood on a Monday, migrated to Madinah on a Monday, and passed away on a Monday.

He was born in the Year of the Elephant.

It was called the Year of the Elephant because Abraha attacked Makkah with elephants.

His birth occurred only a few days after that event.

The event was as follows:

Abraha was the Christian ruler of Yemen.

During the pilgrimage season he saw people traveling to Makkah to perform Hajj at the Ka‘bah.

He asked his people:

“Where are these people going?”

He was told:

“They are going to Makkah to perform Hajj at the House of Allah.”

He asked:

“What is the House of Allah made of?”

He was told:

“It is made of stones.”

He asked:

“What is its covering?”

He was told:

“It is covered with striped cloth that comes from our land.”

Abraha was a Christian.

After hearing all this, he said:

“By the Messiah, I will build a better house for you.”

Thus he built a house out of red, white, yellow, and black stones.

He decorated it with gold and silver.

He made several doors in it.

He embedded sheets of gold into it.

He placed jewels between the stones.

He placed a huge ruby in the center.

He hung curtains in it.

He arranged for perfumes to be burned there.

The walls were so heavily rubbed with musk that they became black and even the jewels could no longer be seen.

Then he said to the people:

“You no longer need to go to Makkah to perform Hajj at the Ka‘bah. I have built a Ka‘bah for you here, so perform your circumambulation here.”

Thus some tribes continued to perform pilgrimage there for several years.

They also practiced seclusion there and performed pilgrimage rites there.

An Arab man named Nufayl al-Khath‘ami could not tolerate this.

He was deeply troubled by the artificial Ka‘bah built by Abraha.

At last he decided to defile Abraha’s building.

One night, secretly, he threw a great deal of filth inside it.

When Abraha found out, he became extremely angry.

He said:

“An Arab has done this for his own Ka‘bah. I will destroy that Ka‘bah and break every one of its stones.”

He wrote the details to Syria and Abyssinia and requested that the great elephant be sent to him.

The elephant’s name was Mahmud.

It was so enormous that no elephant of such size had ever been seen on earth.

When the elephant reached him, he set out with his army toward Makkah.

When the army came near Makkah, Abraha ordered his soldiers to seize the animals belonging to the people.

Among the animals captured were the camels of Abd al-Muttalib.

Nufayl was also with Abraha’s army, and he was a friend of Abd al-Muttalib.

Abd al-Muttalib met him and spoke about the camels.

Nufayl said to Abraha:

“The chief of Quraysh, Abd al-Muttalib, wishes to meet you. He is the chief of all the Arabs, a man of honor and great standing. He has great influence among the people. He gives them fine horses, gives them gifts, and feeds them.”

This was an introduction to Abd al-Muttalib.

Abraha called him for a meeting.

Abraha asked:

“What do you want?”

Abd al-Muttalib replied:

“I want my camels returned to me.”

Abraha was greatly surprised.

He said:

“I had been told that you were the chief of the Arabs, a man of great honor and distinction. But it seems I was misinformed.

“I thought you would speak to me about the Ka‘bah, which I have come to destroy and upon which your honor and the honor of your people depends.

“But you have said nothing about it and have only come to ask for your camels. What is the meaning of this?”

Abd al-Muttalib replied:

“Return my camels to me. As for the Ka‘bah, do whatever you wish with it, because this House has a Lord of its own. He will protect it Himself. I do not need to worry about it.”

Abraha then ordered:

“Return his camels.”

When he received his camels back, Abd al-Muttalib covered their hooves with leather and marked them.

He dedicated them as sacrificial animals and left them within the sanctuary so that if anyone seized them, the Lord of the Sacred House would become angry with him.

Then Abd al-Muttalib climbed Mount Hira.

Some of his friends were with him.

He prayed:

“O Allah! A man protects his own belongings, so protect Your own belongings.”

Meanwhile Abraha advanced with his army.

He himself was mounted on an elephant and was in the middle of his army.

Suddenly the elephant refused to move forward.

It sat down on the ground.

The elephant handlers tried to make it stand, but it would not rise.

They struck it on the head and even drove hooks into it, but it did not stand.

Then they turned it toward Yemen, and it immediately began walking in that direction.

They turned it toward Makkah, and it stopped again.

The elephant handlers repeated this experiment many times.

At last Abraha ordered them to give the elephant wine so that, in drunkenness, it would lose awareness and they could move it toward Makkah.

They gave it wine, but it had no effect.